Animated display device



Sept. 29, 1936. ca. 0. BROWN 2,055,857

ANIMATED DISPLAY DEVICE I Filed July 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fr' g 1 4.4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Eli-""- Se t. 29, 1936. G. 0. BROWN ANIMATED DISPLAY DEVICE Filed July 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR {14 w um v 1W BY A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMATED DISPLAY DEVICE Gwynne Oscar Brown,

lumbia, Canada,

Vancouver, British C0- assignor to Motion Displays,

Inc., a corporation of New York 9 Claims.

This invention relates to animated display devices, and more particularly to animated display devices of the type in which an endless band or belt carrying advertising matter is moved back of a casing aperture.

In such devices it is common practice to tension the band about two or more rollers, one of which is power energized to give movement to the band, and to position electric lamps behind the band to accentuate the advertising matter carried thereby. Inasmuch, however, as the band is generally made from thin flexible material, such as paper, it has a tendency to stretch after being in use, and when this occurs the band slips as it passes over the rollers. Also it has been found that. the heat generated by the lamps, if permitted to accumulate in the casing, constitutes a fire hazard. Furthermore, in such devices the band frequently creeps longitudinally along the rollers and is thus carried beyond the limits of the casing aperture, this creeping action of the band being due to the fact that the length of the band may vary from one edge to the other and or to the fact that the axes of rotation of the rollers may not be parallel.

An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide such devices with means which prevents the band from slipping as it passes over the rollers.

Another object of the invention is to provide means which prevents heat from accumulating in the casing of such devices.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such devices with means which prevents the band from creeping longitudinally along the rollers as it is moved back of the casing aperture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such devices with means for obtaining an increased advertising effect from a given number of moving parts.

In accordance with one feature of the present invention, slipping of the band as it passes over the rollers is prevented by means of a take-up device which acts automatically to tension the band and thus maintain it in frictional engagement with the rollers.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, means are provided for circulating the air in the casing to dissipate the heat generated by the lamps and other power operated devices.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, means is provided which is capable of being adjusted so as to cause the band to have a tendency to creep longitudinally along the rollers in either direction so that any normal tendency the band has of creeping along the rollers may be counteracted.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the rollers which ordinarily are only 5 used to move the band, are utilized to operate display devices upon which goods to be advertised may be placed and thus increase the advertising effect from a given number of moving parts. 10

For a clear understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, however, the invention is shown merely in preferred form and by way of example, but obviously many changes and 16 variations may be made therein and in its mode of operation which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is, therefore, to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevational view with a portion broken away of a device embodying the principles of the present invention; 25

Fig. 2 is a plan view, the view being taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective View having the front wall of the casing removed to more clearly show the relation of the various parts of the mechamsm.

As shown, the mechanism is mounted within a casing ID, the front wall of which is provided with an aperture I I behind which an endless belt or band I2 carrying advertising matter is moved 5 and the cover I3 of which is hinged thereto to permit ready access to the mechanism.

The band I2 is trained about a drive roller and an idler roller I 5, the opposite ends of the drive roller I 4 being provided with trunnions I6 40 which are journaled in one end of an oblong supporting frame I! and the opposite ends of the idler roller I5 being provided with trunnions I8 which are journaled in the opposite end of the framework H. The drive roller I4 is power op- 45 erated to give movement to the band I2 by a motor and gear reduction mechanism I9 which is operatively connected to the trunnion carried by the lower end of the drive roller Id.

The framework Ilris also provided with two 50 sockets 20 and 2| in which lamps 22 and 23 respectively may be inserted when it is desired to accentuate the advertising matter on the band I2 as it passes behind the aperture II, and to maintain the lamps out of contact with the band 55 to avoid the possibility of the band being scorched or burned by the heat generated by the lamps the frame work H is bent or slightly curved in a longitudinal direction.

The power for driving the motor as well as for lighting the lamps 22 and 23 is supplied from any convenient source through conductors 24 and 25 and a hand operated switch 26.

To prevent the heat generated by the lamps 22 and 23 and the motor and gear reduction mechanism I!) from accumulating in the casing It to the extent where it would constitute a fire hazard, means are provided for circulating air therethrough, and to this end a fan 21 is mounted on the armature shaft 28 of the motor.

To prevent the band from slipping as it has a tendency to do after being in use, means are provided for maintaining it in frictional engagement with the rollers l4 and I5, and to this end a tensioning roller 30 is journaled in the outer end of a gate member 33 by means of. trunnions 3| which extend outwardly from the opposite ends thereof. The inner end of the gate member is pivotally secured to the central portion of the frame work i! by means of a rod 32, and a spring 34 acts to urge the tensioning roller 30 against the band to tension it and thus maintain it in frictional engagement with the rollers I4 and 15. One end of the spring is secured to the gate member 33 and the other end thereof is secured to one end of an arm 35 carried by the frame work IT. The other end of. the arm 35 is secured to the frame work I! by means of a stud 36, this arrangement being provided to permit the tension in the spring 34 to be adjusted to a desired value.

To prevent the band l2 from creeping longitudinally along the rollers as it moves behind the aperture H, means are provided for tilting the axis of rotation of one of the rollers over which the band passes into and out of parallel relationship with respect to the axis of rotation of the other rollers. In the present embodiment of the invention means are provided for tilting the axis of, rotation of the tensioning roller 30 into and out of parallel relationship with respect to the axis rotation of the drive roller 14 and the idler roller l5, and to this end the upper arm of the gate member 33 is divided into two sections 31 and 38, the outer section 38 in which the trunnion 3| carried by the upper end of the tensioning roller 30 is journaled comprising an adjusting link which is secured, as by a stud 39, to the inner section 38. The opening 48 through which the stud 39 passes is elongated to permit the position of the link 38 and hence the axis of rotation of the tensioning roller 30 to be adjusted. Under such conditions, if the band l2 has a normal tendency to creep as it is moved behind the casing aperture II, the axis of rotation of the tensioning roller 30 may be tilted until this tendency is counteracted and the band runs evenly over the rollers.

To increase the advertising effect from a given number of moving parts the upper trunnion l6 of the drive roller l4 and the upper trunnion 11 of the idler roller l5, as shown in Fig. 1, may be provided with shaft like extensions 4| and 42 respectively which extend upwardly through suitable openings in the cover l3 and which carry turntables 43 upon which goods to be advertised may be placed.

The ends of the window or aperture I l are provided with grooves 44 in which shutters 45 of selected widths may be disposed so as to provide a window or aperture of adjustable width for the purpose of making it correspond with bands of varying width.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an advertising device, the combination of a cabinet having an aperture therein, a plurality of rollers positioned in said cabinet, an endless band trained about said rollers, means for effecting rotation of said rollers for moving said band transversely behind said aperture, and movable display devices carried by said rollers.

2. In an advertising device, the combination of a cabinet having an aperture therein, a plurality of rollers positioned in said cabinet, an endless band trained about said rollers, means for eifecting rotation of said rollers for moving said band transversely behind said aperture, means for maintaining said band under tension, and movable display devices carried by said rollers.

3. In an advertising display device, the combination of a cabinet having an aperture therein, a plurality of rollers positioned in said cabinet, an endless band trained about said rollers, means for effecting rotation of said rollers for moving said band transversely behind said aperture, means for maintaining said band under tension, means for preventing said band from creeping longitudinally along said rollers during movement thereof, and movable display devices carried by said rollers.

4. In an advertising display device, the combination of a cabinet having an aperture therein, a plurality of rollers positioned in said cabinet, an endless band positioned about said rollers, electric lamps positioned within said casing and behind said band, an electric motor operatively connected to one of said rollers for effecting rotation thereof to move said band transversely behind said aperture, means for dissipating heat created by said lamps and said motor, means for maintaining said band under tension, means for preventing said band from creeping longitudinally along said rollers during movement thereof, and movable display devices carried by said rollers.

5. In an advertising display device, the combination of an elongated frame, a roller mounted at each end of said frame, a gate member pivotally mounted on said frame between the ends thereof, a roller carried by said gate, an endless band trained over said rollers, means for moving said band over said rollers, and means for swinging said gate about its pivotal connection to maintain the roller carried thereby in contact with said band to render said band taut.

6. In an advertising display device, the combination of an elongated frame, a roller mounted at each end of said frame, a gate member pivotally mounted on said frame between the ends thereof, a roller carried by said gate, an endless band trained over said rollers, means for moving said band, means for swinging said gate about its pivotal connection to maintain the roller carried thereby in contact with said band to render said band taut, and means for tilting the angle of rotation of one of said rollers to prevent said band from creeping longitudinally along said rollers.

7. In an advertising display device, the combination of an elongated frame, a roller mounted at each end of said frame, a gate member pivotally mounted on said frame between the ends thereof, a roller carried by said gate, an endless band trained over said rollers, means for moving said band, means for swinging said gate about its pivotal connection to maintain the roller carried thereby in contact with said band to render said band taut, and means for tilting the angle of rotation of the roller carried by said gate to prevent said band from creeping longitudinally along said rollers.

8. In an advertising display device, the combination of an elongated frame, a roller mounted at each end of said frame, a gate member pivotally mounted on said frame between the ends thereof, a roller carried by said gate, an endless band trained over said rollers, power means for driving one of said end rollers to move said band, means for swinging said gate about its pivotal connection to. maintain the roller carried thereby in contact with said band to render said band taut, and means for tilting the angle of rotation of one of said rollers to prevent said band from creeping longitudinally along said rollers.

9. In an advertising display device, the combination of an elongated frame, a vertically disposed roller mounted at each end of said frame, movable display devices carried by said end rollers, a gate member pivotally mounted on said frame between the ends thereof, a vertically disposed roller carried by said gate, power means for driving one of said end rollers to move said band, means for swinging said gate about its pivotal connection to maintain the roller carried thereby in contact with said band to render said band taut, and means for tilting the angle of rotation of one of said rollers to prevent said band from creeping longitudinally along said rollers.

GWYNNE OSCAR BROWN. 

